Darkangel
by Killerison
Summary: Haven city is under a new threat, the eco experiments have continued. From these new tests are born Zack, Tara and Raven, and now it's up to them to fight back.
1. Chapter 1: The hunt

**Chapter 1: The hunt**

Dusk. Haven city was covered in the thick gloom of the night. The lights from the bars, saloons and advertisements were the only light. Along the dock a rowdy group of men were thrown from the doors of one of the bars. They shouted and cursed at the figure that had turned them out before stumbling towards the next closest pub.

Three hooded figures drifted uneasily across the walkways on the docks. The tallest was evidently a man and the other two women. The man's hood was the furthest back and it allowed passers-by to catch a glimpse of his face. He was thin, with brown eyes staring out across the placid water. His fringe was electric blue and rested lop sided on his forehead. He adjusted his hood as a group of crimson guard ran past. He turned to the other two and pointed to the largest and most garish bar on the waterfront. A gigantic glowing Ottsel was its sign, although the head was on the edge of the pitchfork it was holding and not on its neck. The group quickened their pace and made for the door.

The naughty Ottsel was doing well. Dozens of people filled the booths and lined up along the counter. The barmaid cleaned the work surface, ignoring the comments directed at her by the rude men drinking in front of her. The door swung open and she looked up. The three hooded figures walked in and made for the counter. The crowd of semi-drunk patrons parted to allow the odd visitors through. The man at the front of this bizarre procession placed a gloved hand on the bar

"Three drinks please" he said. The barmaid crossed her arms

"My face is up here". The man blushed and one of the hooded figures nudged him

"My apologies" he grinned apologetically. He was about to ask again when one of the men behind the group spoke up

"You're not from round here are you?" the man turned around and leaned on the bar

"What gave me away?" The drunken man gestured to the hoods and the stranger rolled his eyes. He nodded politely "No we're not, just passing through though so if you don't mind we'll just have a drink and be on our way" he turned back to the bar. But the man wasn't done. He waddled over to the two hooded girls and put a hand on one of them. The woman looked down at it; she then looked at the grinning layabout before her. She punched him. He flew back a few feet and crashed onto one of the tables; he rolled along its top and fell onto the ground. Drinks and food scattered across the floor around him. The owners of said food were not impressed. They rolled up their sleeves and started moving menacingly towards the group. The hooded male stopped them.

"I'll pay for it. There's no need for violence"

"That bitch spilled my pint!" one of the men shouted

"Who are you calling a bitch?" the woman rounded on the large mob of disgruntled drinkers. She lowered her hood and her dark hair fell loose around her shoulders, the statutory pointed ears were pierced in multiple places and added to her tough look. Her dark eyes fixed on the obvious leader

"Raven not now" the man put a hand on her shoulder, she shook it off

"Who are you calling a bitch?" she repeated. The other woman turned to her friend

"Zack do something"

"I tried". Zack stepped out in front of Raven and smiled at the confrontational man who was on the verge of punching someone "Gentlemen" he started, and then someone punched him hard in the face. He put a hand to his mouth and wiped away some blood. The men jeered. Zack straightened up and joined in the laughter, then fought back. He slammed his palm into the man's chest and sent him flying through the doors of the saloon and into the street outside. He straightened his cloak and turned back to the group "Who wants to join him?" The drunks all scattered and Zack turned back to the two women. Raven nodded her approval.

"Did you have to hit him?"

"Yes Tara I had to hit him" Zack sighed and took a drink from the counter and downed it in one go. He shuddered and looked at the bottle "Sacra" he shrugged and asked for another.

A group of crimson guards on patrol watched as a man flew through the doors of the Naughty Ottsel and looked at one another. They lifted their guns and went in for a closer inspection. They peered through the door and spotted the hooded figures. Raven caught their eye first, then Zack and Tara. The captain nodded to the others and they entered the building.

"Crap" Zack looked over his shoulder as the armed guards barged inside the bar. He turned back to the counter and looked at his empty glass. Tara met his glance. The red armoured soldiers pointed at Zack

"You there!"

"Yes?" Zack turned and threw back his hood, revealing his messy blue hair. A few of the other bar dwellers looked at it in shock.

"Are you Zack Rickshaw?"

"Depends. Are you here to arrest me?"

"Yes"

"Then no" Zack turned back to his drink but one of the guard walked over to him and grabbed his arm, he pulled him off his chair. Tara lowered her hood and stepped forwards

"Let go of him!" The guard took one look at the blond woman and smirked. She stared hard at him

"It's alright Tara, this nice gentlemen is just about to release his grip, because I'm sure the last thing he wants is a broken arm" Zack's tone grew more menacing near the end of the sentence. The armed man smiled

"You wouldn't dare"

"No?" Zack raised his eyebrows and smiled. HE seized the hand holding his cloak and twisted it free before punching the side of the elbow joint. There was a snap and the guard yelped. Zack ignored the shouts and kicked him over. The other men raised their guns. Raven cracked her knuckles in anticipation. Zack rolled his shoulders back and removed his cloak. Underneath he was wearing a leather jacket, an engraved breastplate sat on his chest over the top of a navy blue t-shirt. He was also wearing a pair of armour plates above his wrists to protect his forearms. Raven snarled at the armed men and the guns turned on her. Her eyes turned purple and she smirked. The guard opened fire. The force from the shots took Raven off her feet and sent her over the bar and smashing two dozen bottles on the wall. Tara and Zack both cried out and the guard turned their guns to them

"Get on the ground!" the captain shouted. Zack shook his head, displaying –oddly enough- pity

"You boys just made a big mistake…you pissed her off". There was an explosion of purple electricity from behind the bar and Raven jumped onto the table. Her skin was now a mottled grey and horns protruded from her scalp, her pupils were dilated and fangs sprouted from her teeth. She snarled and claws slid from her fingers. Zack observed this calmly before looking back at the terrified crimson guard "I would advise running" he offered, the men opened fire again. Raven leaped from the counter and onto the walls leaping, dodging every bullet. She spun and fired a pulse of dark energy from her palms and sent three men crashing into the opposite wall. Tara and Zack exchanged glances

"Should we help?"

"Tara… they got themselves into this mess. Now they can get themselves out" a screaming man flew over the bar and Zack pulled his drink out of the way just in time. Another guard grabbed his hair and slammed his face into the bottle. It shattered and Zack grunted in pain as the glass dug knot his skin. The guard pulled him upright. Zack pulled a few pieces of glass loose and smirked. His eyes flashed purple. A burst of purple energy struck the man in the chest and he flew from the bar. His skin turned a pale blue and horns sprouted from his head, ancient marking wove themselves along his skin and across his face. His eyes began to glow white and he cricked his neck before wings burst from his back, talon tipped bats wings. He snarled at the remaining troops and they ran out of the bar. Raven turned to him and grinned. Tara snapped her fingers and her skin began to glow, blue light energy covered her for until she was completely glowing. She smiled and the trio exited the bar.

Raven was first to go for it, sprinting after the retreating soldiers. Tara crouched and a large pair of blue glowing wings erupted from her back. She took off into the air and turned to observe the battle unfold. Zack soared over the placid water of the docks and into the air, he turned and dived, with an explosion of dark energy he hit the ground and sent several men flying into the air. He turned to the final man. Raven finished disembowelling her reluctant prey and turned to join him. She passed Zack and took hold of the man's chest plate, he whimpered softly. She chuckled, and then hurled him into the air. In a burst of flames she teleported above him and gave him a firm kick in the stomach, sending him spiralling into the cold water of the docks. She landed next to Zack and he nodded to her. A radio behind them crackled, Tara landed and took it from the belt of one of the bodies. She turned up the volume and listened

"Sending in air support to your position now, get the hell out of there". They looked into the sky and sure enough several Hellcat cruisers soared towards them. With a loud whoosh they unleashed the missiles they were carrying and they locked onto the three targets.

The explosion was visible two streets away. Flames rocketed into the sky and licked the faces of the ramshackle buildings. The smoke slowly cleared. A blue dome became visible on the ground. The concrete around it was scorched and burned. Tara closed her hand and the bubble dissipated.

"How dare you" she hissed. She waved a hand across the air and a large, solid wall of power surged into the air and smashed the remaining cruisers. The wreckage splashed down into the water. The three powered down.

"We need to get out of the city" Raven breathed

"Agreed" Zack nodded "We don't have enough juice to go through that every 5 minutes" He broke out into a run and began sprinting for the city exit. A large transport craft flew overhead and deployed a dozen more crimson guard. Zack rolled and grabbed the gun from a body and fired into the group, they returned fire quickly. Tara splayed her fingers and a stream of blue energy fed into Zack. The bullets from the guard's guns hit him but Zack was un-phased, the flesh simply healed up as soon as the bullets went in. Raven leapt onto the cockpit of the craft and opened it, she hurled the driver onto the hard pavement and climbed inside

"Get in" she ordered. Zack and Tara climbed into the troop bay and shut the door behind them. The ship rose in the air and turned before speeding out over the city walls.


	2. Chapter 2: The golden seas

Chapter 3: The arena

Daxter crossed his arms and eyed up the dozens of crimson guard tearing apart what was left of his bar. He'd left the place for a few hours and returned to see it utterly destroyed. His girlfriend Tess sat on the counter beside him and gently fondled his right ear. As alluring as this was he still couldn't get over the fact that his bar needed to be rebuilt. He scowled at the dark figure in the corner. The man struck a match on the bullet riddled wall and lit a cigarette. He blew smoke into the air. Daxter jumped off the bar and walked over to him. The 2 foot tall Ottsel pointed an accusing finger at the man before shouting rather loudly.

"You said you knew who did this". The man stared blankly at the orange rodent and smirked before blowing a ring of stinking smoke around his face. Daxter waved it away and coughed slightly. "Either you sort this mess out or so help me I'll…"

"You'll what" The large dark haired man lowered to Daxter's height and stared menacingly at him "These are dangerous people Mr Daxter, and we'll deal with the as soon as we catch up with them"

"Dangerous HA!" Daxter threw his head back sarcastically in mock laughter. The stranger did not appreciate the joke

"What? You think that because your friend's some big hero that you don't need to worry about people like this. Well let me tell you something. These three are more dangerous and violent than anyone you could have ever met. And besides, the only reason anyone would come to this dump of a bar is if they were looking for help. Where is Jak?"The sudden flipping of questions had caught Daxter unawares and his mind reeled around before he even had a chance to speak again

"He's out" he stammered. The tall man straightened up. He dropped his cigarette on the floor and stamped on it before walking out of the door. The crimson guards followed. Daxter stared out of the open door after them. Tess climbed off the bar and scampered over to him

"What was that about?"

"I don't know, but something tells me we need to tell to the others".

Zack opened his eyes. It was dark, very dark. He could faintly make out two faces above him

"Am I dead?" he moaned

"No" Tara replied

"Thought not… if I was I would probably be lying on something more comfortable" Zack shifted uncomfortably on the hard stone floor and sat up. The three of them were in a small dank cell, moisture covered the floor. He ran his fingers along the ground and sniffed the tips. Blood and sweat. He wrinkled his nose "Where are we?"  
>"Marauder base" Raven got to her feet and paced over to a hard oak door. There was a metal grill at eye level and she peered tentatively through it<p>

"And how did we get here?"

"They found us" Tara murdered "It was my fault"

"Well we're still alive and that's got to count for something" Zack patted Tara's shoulder and got to his feet, they shook slightly but he managed to keep his balance. Tara stayed kneeling and observed as he made a shaky journey to the door. He leaned on it for a few moments and nodded politely to Raven. He spun on his heel and kicked out. His foot hit the door with a crack and bounced off. Zack looked at the undamaged wood for a few moments and then groaned. He banged his head on the flat surface. Raven rolled her eyes and turned to kneel behind Tara

"We tried that" she called over to him. Tara sighed softly

"What do they want from us?"

"Well the bounty is up to 30,000 per head, but they would have turned us in by now" Raven began tallying possibilities up on her fingers "They could hope to gain our powers from research. Or just use us as weapons against other tribes". Seeing the look on Tara's face she stopped and tried to look more comforting. Tara perked up a little as footsteps echoed down the corridor outside. The grill slid open and a tattooed face stared in at the group, there was a loud clank and the door opened. Three burly marauders in heavy armour walked into the room. Each of them smirking and carrying a large fierce looking blade. Zack squared up to the closest and puffed out his chest. The marauder chuckled and gave him a frim shove. Zack didn't move and instead angled his head forwards

"Afternoon gents" he smirked. The marauders looked at one another. Raven climbed to her feet and took her place at Zack's side. Tara mirrored the action. The three desert dwellers shifted the weight of their blades. This attracted attention from Zack who in turn clenched his fists.

"Follow us" one of the men growled. He walked through the open doorway. The other two remained behind. Tara started walking. Seeing that their only escape was the door Zack and Raven followed her lead. The other marauders keeping a close eye on them the whole time, before perusing them out.

Tara kept pace behind the lead marauder. Every so often she would look inside one of the other cells at a blood soaked body or whimpering for in the corner. She bowed her head in a moment of prayer. The light at the end of the tunnel drew closer and she clenched her fists, there was something out there and it didn't look friendly. The tunnel ended abruptly with a port metal grid. The buff marauder stopped and pointed to three smaller cells lined up along one wall.

"One in each" he grunted

"What if we refuse?" the marauder lifted his blade and held the tip against Zack's throat

"One in each" he repeated. Zack siled innocently and stepped inside one of the cells. He muttered curses under his breath. The wooden door was slammed in his face. Raven scowled at her captors. One of them made to poke her, she turned sharply and stared him down. Tara smiled meekly at the group of three savages. They did not smile back. Deciding that living was more important than lessons in manners Tara filled the last cell. The door swung shut.

The cries from the stands filled the ears of the chief and his entourage of vicious looking marauders. He took his seat and waved his hand for silence. His gold and bronze armour shielded his face from the brutal sun. His subjects quieted down.

"LET THE GAMES COMMENCE" he shouted. The coliseum erupted with cheers and shouts as the marauders clambered for blood. He smiled to himself and snapped his fingers. A gate in one of the pit's walls opened and Tara was forced through into the sunlight. She blinked few times and shielded her eyes. A few members of the crowd wolf whistled and she was forced into the centre of the arena by two guards. She looked up at the chief. He drummed his fingers along the armrest of his throne. Tara nodded to him.

"Sire". The chief chuckled. "I only request that you spare us to show your subjects some compassion"

"Release the metal head". Tara's face dropped. Another gate opened and the clanking of chains was accompanied by a roar. A huge metal head was tugged free of his pen by several Marauders. It was like a giant armoured dinosaur. It's glowing crystal skull shimmered in the sun. The cannon on its back had been ripped free. It roared and thrashed around. A marauder was hurled into the air and caught in its murderous jaws. It crunched its prey and shook it. Once finished it turned on Tara.

"Oh good" she mumbled. It charged and she rolled to avoid being stepped on. The beast hit the wall and the crowd cheered. Tara rubbed her hands together and jumped onto the creature's back. Soaring into the air and taking a frim hold of its armour plating. The chief sat forwards on his chair and cocked his head. Tara scaled the beast and closed her eyes. The light energy pulsed over her and her hand glowed blue. She darted forwards and pressed her palm against the creature's head. It thrashed and screamed. It rolled over and Tara jumped free. She opened her eyes and they shone with white light. The metal head got to its feet. It too had shining eyes. On Tara's command it leapt into the stands and swung its tail into the walls. The colloseum shook.

Zack looked up from his unconscieous guard

"That sounds like our que" he bent down and picked up the marauder's sword. Raven wiped some of the blod from her hands

"Do you know how to use that?"

"It's a sword not a fighter jet. What's complicated about swish swish stab?"

"Just don't swish it in my direction". The building shook again and Raven kicked the grate off of its hinges and ran out into the coliseum. Tara was standing in the centre waving her hands to control the metal head. Zack ran over and tapped her shoulder

"Time to go". Tara blinked a few times and the light dissipated. She nodded and began climbing the stands. Zack heard a shout and a group of marauders ran towards him. He twirled the sword and buried it into the skull of the closest. He removed the blade and began to hack through the opposition. Raven rammed her clawed fist into the chest of another victim and drained him of the little eco he contained. She snarled and turned around and began sprinting up the steps of the stands. Tara was a little higher than her and was in the act of kicking a man down the stairs when Raven reached her. She shuddered and allowed her form to change back to normal

"We need a way out" she turned and Tara nodded

"There's too many of them to take out all at once." She pointed at Zack. He spun on his heel and slashed through the torso of another marauder. He ran a hand through his hair and cocked his head to one side. Then he started running.

"What's that about?" Raven asked. Three combat racers smashed through the wall from the outside and unloaded dozens of shells into the ranks of savages. A man leapt from his car with a long rifle in hand. He took aim and killed an escaping marauder with one shot. He turned and grabbed Zack by the back of his t-shirt and forced him inside the largest of the three vehicles.

"Looks like the cavalry has just arrived" Tara leapt down the steps. The man turned and lowered the scarf covering his mouth. He brushed sand from his goatee and signalled for them to get inside the car. They didn't need telling twice. One inside the man took his position behind the wheel and they took off back into the desert.


	3. Chapter 3: The arena

Chapter 3: The arena

Daxter crossed his arms and eyed up the dozens of crimson guard tearing apart what was left of his bar. He'd left the place for a few hours and returned to see it utterly destroyed. His girlfriend Tess sat on the counter beside him and gently fondled his right ear. As alluring as this was he still couldn't get over the fact that his bar needed to be rebuilt. He scowled at the dark figure in the corner. The man struck a match on the bullet riddled wall and lit a cigarette. He blew smoke into the air. Daxter jumped off the bar and walked over to him. The 2 foot tall Ottsel pointed an accusing finger at the man before shouting rather loudly.

"You said you knew who did this". The man stared blankly at the orange rodent and smirked before blowing a ring of stinking smoke around his face. Daxter waved it away and coughed slightly. "Either you sort this mess out or so help me I'll…"

"You'll what" The large dark haired man lowered to Daxter's height and stared menacingly at him "These are dangerous people Mr Daxter, and we'll deal with the as soon as we catch up with them"

"Dangerous HA!" Daxter threw his head back sarcastically in mock laughter. The stranger did not appreciate the joke

"What? You think that because your friend's some big hero that you don't need to worry about people like this. Well let me tell you something. These three are more dangerous and violent than anyone you could have ever met. And besides, the only reason anyone would come to this dump of a bar is if they were looking for help. Where is Jak?"The sudden flipping of questions had caught Daxter unawares and his mind reeled around before he even had a chance to speak again

"He's out" he stammered. The tall man straightened up. He dropped his cigarette on the floor and stamped on it before walking out of the door. The crimson guards followed. Daxter stared out of the open door after them. Tess climbed off the bar and scampered over to him

"What was that about?"

"I don't know, but something tells me we need to tell to the others".

Zack opened his eyes. It was dark, very dark. He could faintly make out two faces above him

"Am I dead?" he moaned

"No" Tara replied

"Thought not… if I was I would probably be lying on something more comfortable" Zack shifted uncomfortably on the hard stone floor and sat up. The three of them were in a small dank cell, moisture covered the floor. He ran his fingers along the ground and sniffed the tips. Blood and sweat. He wrinkled his nose "Where are we?"  
>"Marauder base" Raven got to her feet and paced over to a hard oak door. There was a metal grill at eye level and she peered tentatively through it<p>

"And how did we get here?"

"They found us" Tara murdered "It was my fault"

"Well we're still alive and that's got to count for something" Zack patted Tara's shoulder and got to his feet, they shook slightly but he managed to keep his balance. Tara stayed kneeling and observed as he made a shaky journey to the door. He leaned on it for a few moments and nodded politely to Raven. He spun on his heel and kicked out. His foot hit the door with a crack and bounced off. Zack looked at the undamaged wood for a few moments and then groaned. He banged his head on the flat surface. Raven rolled her eyes and turned to kneel behind Tara

"We tried that" she called over to him. Tara sighed softly

"What do they want from us?"

"Well the bounty is up to 30,000 per head, but they would have turned us in by now" Raven began tallying possibilities up on her fingers "They could hope to gain our powers from research. Or just use us as weapons against other tribes". Seeing the look on Tara's face she stopped and tried to look more comforting. Tara perked up a little as footsteps echoed down the corridor outside. The grill slid open and a tattooed face stared in at the group, there was a loud clank and the door opened. Three burly marauders in heavy armour walked into the room. Each of them smirking and carrying a large fierce looking blade. Zack squared up to the closest and puffed out his chest. The marauder chuckled and gave him a frim shove. Zack didn't move and instead angled his head forwards

"Afternoon gents" he smirked. The marauders looked at one another. Raven climbed to her feet and took her place at Zack's side. Tara mirrored the action. The three desert dwellers shifted the weight of their blades. This attracted attention from Zack who in turn clenched his fists.

"Follow us" one of the men growled. He walked through the open doorway. The other two remained behind. Tara started walking. Seeing that their only escape was the door Zack and Raven followed her lead. The other marauders keeping a close eye on them the whole time, before perusing them out.

Tara kept pace behind the lead marauder. Every so often she would look inside one of the other cells at a blood soaked body or whimpering for in the corner. She bowed her head in a moment of prayer. The light at the end of the tunnel drew closer and she clenched her fists, there was something out there and it didn't look friendly. The tunnel ended abruptly with a port metal grid. The buff marauder stopped and pointed to three smaller cells lined up along one wall.

"One in each" he grunted

"What if we refuse?" the marauder lifted his blade and held the tip against Zack's throat

"One in each" he repeated. Zack siled innocently and stepped inside one of the cells. He muttered curses under his breath. The wooden door was slammed in his face. Raven scowled at her captors. One of them made to poke her, she turned sharply and stared him down. Tara smiled meekly at the group of three savages. They did not smile back. Deciding that living was more important than lessons in manners Tara filled the last cell. The door swung shut.

The cries from the stands filled the ears of the chief and his entourage of vicious looking marauders. He took his seat and waved his hand for silence. His gold and bronze armour shielded his face from the brutal sun. His subjects quieted down.

"LET THE GAMES COMMENCE" he shouted. The coliseum erupted with cheers and shouts as the marauders clambered for blood. He smiled to himself and snapped his fingers. A gate in one of the pit's walls opened and Tara was forced through into the sunlight. She blinked few times and shielded her eyes. A few members of the crowd wolf whistled and she was forced into the centre of the arena by two guards. She looked up at the chief. He drummed his fingers along the armrest of his throne. Tara nodded to him.

"Sire". The chief chuckled. "I only request that you spare us to show your subjects some compassion"

"Release the metal head". Tara's face dropped. Another gate opened and the clanking of chains was accompanied by a roar. A huge metal head was tugged free of his pen by several Marauders. It was like a giant armoured dinosaur. It's glowing crystal skull shimmered in the sun. The cannon on its back had been ripped free. It roared and thrashed around. A marauder was hurled into the air and caught in its murderous jaws. It crunched its prey and shook it. Once finished it turned on Tara.

"Oh good" she mumbled. It charged and she rolled to avoid being stepped on. The beast hit the wall and the crowd cheered. Tara rubbed her hands together and jumped onto the creature's back. Soaring into the air and taking a frim hold of its armour plating. The chief sat forwards on his chair and cocked his head. Tara scaled the beast and closed her eyes. The light energy pulsed over her and her hand glowed blue. She darted forwards and pressed her palm against the creature's head. It thrashed and screamed. It rolled over and Tara jumped free. She opened her eyes and they shone with white light. The metal head got to its feet. It too had shining eyes. On Tara's command it leapt into the stands and swung its tail into the walls. The colloseum shook.

Zack looked up from his unconscieous guard

"That sounds like our que" he bent down and picked up the marauder's sword. Raven wiped some of the blod from her hands

"Do you know how to use that?"

"It's a sword not a fighter jet. What's complicated about swish swish stab?"

"Just don't swish it in my direction". The building shook again and Raven kicked the grate off of its hinges and ran out into the coliseum. Tara was standing in the centre waving her hands to control the metal head. Zack ran over and tapped her shoulder

"Time to go". Tara blinked a few times and the light dissipated. She nodded and began climbing the stands. Zack heard a shout and a group of marauders ran towards him. He twirled the sword and buried it into the skull of the closest. He removed the blade and began to hack through the opposition. Raven rammed her clawed fist into the chest of another victim and drained him of the little eco he contained. She snarled and turned around and began sprinting up the steps of the stands. Tara was a little higher than her and was in the act of kicking a man down the stairs when Raven reached her. She shuddered and allowed her form to change back to normal

"We need a way out" she turned and Tara nodded

"There's too many of them to take out all at once." She pointed at Zack. He spun on his heel and slashed through the torso of another marauder. He ran a hand through his hair and cocked his head to one side. Then he started running.

"What's that about?" Raven asked. Three combat racers smashed through the wall from the outside and unloaded dozens of shells into the ranks of savages. A man leapt from his car with a long rifle in hand. He took aim and killed an escaping marauder with one shot. He turned and grabbed Zack by the back of his t-shirt and forced him inside the largest of the three vehicles.

"Looks like the cavalry has just arrived" Tara leapt down the steps. The man turned and lowered the scarf covering his mouth. He brushed sand from his goatee and signalled for them to get inside the car. They didn't need telling twice. One inside the man took his position behind the wheel and they took off back into the desert.


	4. Chapter 4: Spargas

Chapter 4: Spargas

Zack woke up and stretched his arms. He was in an oddly comfortable bed. He clicked his neck to one side and then to the other. He sat up. He was inside a small sandstone room. Well lit by a pair of small rectangular windows. He sat up and the thin blanked fell into his lap. His cloths were neatly folded on a chair next to his bed. He hastily put on his trousers and climbed to his feet and his back cracked. He groaned and walked over to the window. Outside was a large marketplace, wastelanders ran from stall to stall purchasing food and weapons. On the shore was a large defence turret armed to the proverbial teeth. He craned his neck and peered out across the dozens of buildings that made up the city. Leaper lizards were tied up to posts outside buildings and the wind whipped up small dust storms along the dusty roads. Zack gaped in amazement

"Something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore" he wiped some sweat from his brow and picked up his shirt. There was a knock on the door and someone walked inside. The man was of average height and had blond hair that slowly turned green as it got closer to the roots. On his chin was a thin green goatee. He crossed his arms over and old precursor chest plate and smirked. Zack hurriedly covered up his scarred chest with his shirt before continuing to gape at the man. The man shook his head

"Didn't expect to see you again"

"Me neither. I heard you left a few years back to go to the end of the world". The man shrugged and sat down on the bed. He gripeed his left fist with his right and looked over to Zack. Zack nodded "It's good to see you again Jak". Jak leaned back and nodded absently

"I heard you've changed. There's a lot of bad people looking for you kid"

"I can take care of myself"

"I'm sure you can. But why are they after you?" Jak's eyes bored into Zack's. Zack turned away

"What, we have to do this now"

"Yes". Zack sighed and turned back to face his friend. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped and closed it again. Jak got the message and got to his feet. I'll be waiting by the arena when you're ready" Zack nodded and Jak left. Passing Tara in the doorway. She nodded politely and dodged around him. Zack smiled weakly and turned back to look out of the window.

"who was that?"

"An old friend" Zack picked up his chest plate and jacket and put them on. He tightened the straps on his armoured gloves and sighed heavily. Tara walked over and took his hand

"Is something wrong?"

"No" Zack broke her grip and walked towards the doorway. He stopped and turned around slowly "listen I'm going for a walk. If you guys want to leave I'll understand". Tara shook her head

"You got us out of that place, just like you promised"

"Although I wouldn't recommend sticking around" He descended the stairs and walked out into the market.

Tara sighed as she watched him go. Raven rounded the stairs and saw her

"Hey. What are you doing up here?"

"Something's up with Zack" she said. Raven frowned

"What sort of something?"

"I don't know. I just came up here and saw him talking with some guy. Then he got all sad and left"

"Do you know who this guy was?"

"The man from the marauder camp". Raven tapped her chin and nodded. Tara peered out of the window. She saw the man standing down in the square leaning against a rusted bulkhead. He was looking at a picture in his hand. He folded it and put it away. He looked up and caught Tara's eyes. She smiled shyly and stepped away from the window. Raven peered out and pointed discreetly

"Is that him?" Tara nodded and Raven cocked her head "Let's go and say hi". Tara stared at her in bewilderment

"why?"

"well he saved our arses back at the arena and if we friendly up to him then maybe he'll tell us what he said to Zack"

"I don't know" Tara shrugged "he didn't seem too friendly". Raven smiled mischievously that's why we layer on a bit of charm"

"Charm?"

"Yeah… just be really nice to him". Tara's expression didn't change "Just follow my lead".

The two girls ran downstairs and into the street. Making a beeline for Jak's position. He looked up at them once they got close. He gave them a gruff smile and nodded. Raven stopped in front of him and smiled sweetly

"hello?" he grunted

"We just wanted to thank you for helping us out back at the marauder camp. We really appreciated it" Raven put so much emphasis on the really that she sounded uncharacteristically daft. Tara rolled her eyes. Then she looked at the man's face. Something in his eyes caught her attention. Thin flakes of purple dotted the outside of his iris. She gasped out loud and Raven looked at her

"You…. You've seen the darkness". Raven turned to her friend in shock and then back to the man. He leaned forwards, seemingly interested"

"How do you know that?"

"The things you've seen" Tara continued, she shook slightly "The day star, the suffering, the destruction". Raven looked into The man's eyes and jumped back in shock

"You're one of them" she gasped. Her breathing quickened and dark energy sparked from her fingers "we're not going back" she fought back tears of anger and pulled Tara back from him. He stepped forwards

"Who are you?"

"Don't even try it" Raven snarled. Tara struggled free and Raven turned to her in shock "TARA GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Tara shook her head and stood beside Jak. He looked from her to raven

"You're part of the project" he stammered. He lifted his hands and tried to calm down the almost hysteric Raven. She wasn't having it. Finally Jak lifted his arm and showed her the scars. A few dots ran up the inside of his arm where the surgical needles had penetrated all those years ago. Raven stopped and looked at her own scars. Hers were more severe and newer but it still meant the same thing. Jak looked up at her. He excused himself and darted off into the marketplace.

Zack ran his finger along the body of a desert runner. He sat in the driver's seat and gripped the wheel. A fat balding man with a large moustache walked over

"Oi, get your arse out of my ride" The man lifted a large gun and targeted Zack's head. Zack climbed free of the vehicle and smirked

"You've got a good choice in cars mate"

"And in guns too so get off my ride. That's for the big boys kid" Zack jumped free and admired the car. He then turned on its owner.

"I'd watch your stress levels if I were you bud. Not sure your heart can take the strain". He leaned forwards and shoved Zack backwards

"Watch it kid you don't even know who you're messin' with"

"Kleiver?" Zack tried hopefully. The man seemed pleased

"So you've heard of me then?" Zack shrugged

"Not really". Kleiver growled and swung his gun towards Zack's face. Zack ducked it and stepped back holding his hands up in submission "Fine I'm going"

Zack chuckled to himself and ran back through into the market. He slowed his pace when he spotted Raven. She was talking quietly to a wastelander. Zack decided it was best not to pry and so started walking towards the arena. The carpet covered steps stretched out before him and he rolled his shoulders back

"Here I go". He jogged up the stairs. Upon reaching the top he noticed Jak and Tara. Talking quetly to one another. He reached the top and coughed loudly. Tara turned frist and smiled

"You came back"

"yeah" Zack nodded and leaned towards Jak "What did you tell her?" he whispered

"Actually it's more of what she told me"

"oh" Zack straightened up and turned an accusing eye to Tara.

"Why didn't you tell me about the experiments?"

"We're dealing with it"

"We'll talk more later. Daxter filled me in on a few things too" on que Daxter stepped out from behind Jak's leg. He folded his arms and frowned "He says you destroyed the bar"

"Not me… it was the guards they…"

"Anyway, they've got someone on your trail. You need to tell us what's going on". Zack shook his head

"I don't need to tell you anything. You left. You left us all"

"It had to be done"

"But was it for everyone else? Or for you"

"Don't start trying to blame me for what happened". Zack waved the statement away

"Look did you want me for something or not?" Jak sighed and handed him a keystone

"I've got a job for you".

Raven handed over a single precursor orb and the woman handed her a trio of guns

"They're morph so they should fit a wide variety of ammunition and mods." Raven thanked her and slotted one into a holster on her back. She put the other two in one hand and checked her reflection in a polished pan hanging on a string. She brushed her hair to one side with her fingers and began making her way towards the arena entrance. She whistled softly to herself and pressed a small stone against the locking mechanism. The bulkhead hissed and opened to allow her through. She walked through the tunnel quietly. Jak was sitting in the gilded throne that allowed him to see the arena below. Daxter sat on his shoulder. Below them Zack was repeatedly doing laps of the assault course, collecting the glowing orbs of eco and slotting them into a tube on his belt.

"Faster" Jak ordered. Zack panted heavily and gave him a thumbs up. Raven leaned against the balcony

"What was the point of this again?"

"We need to get you three trained. You can't hope to fight these people without my help"

"Which people are we fighting?"

"The dark cult". On the course below Zack flopped onto his back and held the full bottle of glowing energy up

"Finished". Jak clapped his hands and the podium Zack was lying on rose from the arena until it was level with the balcony. Zack jumped off and threw the bottle to Jak. Jak caught it and inspected it. Raven handed Zack a gun. He ran his hand along it. And gripped the handle. Jak put the tube of eco onto the table beside him. He clapped his hands again and the arena re-arranged. The interlocking pathways and blocks split apart and sank into the lava that lined the floor. They that rose up in different positions.

"Again" he commanded. Zack groaned and climbed back onto the podium. It was going to be a long day.


	5. Chapter 5: A fond farewell

Chapter 5: A fond farewell

The dark man lit a fresh cigarette and put it between his lips. One of his many underlings, a man by the name of Rauq was nervously jittering details. Rektor rubbed his face irritably and removed the cigarette. He turned menacingly. The suited man stopped talking. The crimson guards they had hired took posts at the end of the dark alleyway. Rauq paused tentatively before continuing

"All I'm saying sir is that the baroness doesn't appreciate us using her forces in the way that we are"

"I couldn't care less what the baroness does or does not appreciate" he blew smoke into the air and closed his eyes while he re-inhaled it "Have we picked up their trail yet?" Rauq fummbnled with some papers and removed one that looked the most promising. He offered it and Rektor snatched it from his grasp. His eyes scanned it for a few moments. He smiled. "This could work to our advantage" he thrust the paper into Rauq's chest and turned to look out over the docks. He sucked on his cigarette again and blew out another ring. He breathed heavily and turned to his assistant. Once again Rauq stopped talking and went pale "Tell the master we'll get his data by the end of the week"

"But sir it'll take us that long to…"

"Do it" Rektor cut him short and threw his cigarette down "And get me X42"

"Are you sure sir?"

"Would I have asked you otherwise?" he growled. Rauq shook his head and almost whimpered. Rektor nodded his approval "Good, now run along like a good little lackey". Rauq scurried off into the less savoury bowels of the city and Rektor chuckled to himself. Lackeys were fun.

Zack pushed open the door to his room and kicked off his heavy boots. He ached all over and he wearily stumbled across the threshold. Jak had worked them all as hard as hell. Half the time with no clear reason, he'd just watch and give the occasional instruction. Zack flopped face first into the embrace of his bed and sighed. It didn't matter that his shins were resting uncomfortably on the footboard. It was either that or falling asleep on the floor. He groaned and rolled over. His back clicked in three different places and he winced. Without the need for instruction from his brain he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

_Torn leaned forwards on the map room table. _

"_Jak I want you to meet your runner" he said gruffly. A younger version of Zack stepped out from behind a post. He must have only been about 12. Jak folded his arms and Daxter jumped off his shoulder to take a closer look at the blue haired boy "His name's Zack and he'll be gaining intell for you on missions. Being a kid he can get inside the places you can't. Worth having around"._

_Zack squirmed violently and tried to break free of the grip of the suited men who held him. They lifted him up and dumped him down on a metal operating table. He thrashed and writhed but he couldn't get free. They fastened straps tightly around his ankles and wrists. He stared up in terror as a lage mechanical arm covered in tools and bottles lowered towards his face. It glowed ominously. The man in control of it began making voice notes on a recording device_

"_Darkangel project subject X92 alpha, test 384. Commencing tests" the syringes all plunged deep into Zack's chest and he screamed._

Zack sat bolt upright screaming. He lifted his fists and his form shifted into the dark angel. His skin mottled blue and eyes glowing. His wings spread out and knocked over the bedside table. Still shouting his talon like claws burs from his knuckles. The two sword like blades sliced through the foot board. Then he stopped, the power left him and he fell backwards onto the bed. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He lifted a palm and hit his forehead

"Get out of there" he mumbled.

The morning came quickly. The sun peaked out over the top of the arena and graced the streets with its warming presence. The wastelanders all appeared shortly after, dividing into their social groups and walking around the city. Zack rolled over and stared at the claw marks he had left on the wall from the night before. He groaned, he'd probably have to fix that. He sat up and the muscles in his back pulled tightly causing him to recoil and moan. He put a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it softly and tried to loosen it up. It didn't work. He climbed to his feet and put on his boots. The bedside table was lying in its side in the corner, he sighed and righted it before putting it back in place next to the bed.

Jak was waiting for him outside the arena. Daxter standing on his shoulder. Zack rubbed his bleary eyes and waved. Jak frowned

"You okay?"

"Doesn't matter" Zack pushed the large double doors open and walked through into the colloseum. Jak and Daxter exchanged nervous glances.

"There's something wrong with that kid" Daxter jabbed a thumb in Zack's direction. Jak nodded in agreement. He peered around the corner of the door at the teenager as he kicked over a crate of ammo and swore under his breath "Don't remember you ever bein' like that"

"I wasn't in there as long"

"Huh?"

"According to Tara he was experimented on for four years"

"Poor guy" Daxter muttered. He jumped off of Jak's shoulder and stretched himself out. He nodded to his friend "I'm gonna see if I can find some breakfast"

"No booz"

"Yeah… good luck with that" Daxter chuckled and scurried off into the city.

Zack turned lazily to watch Jak enter after him. He nodded

"You never did get back to me about that job" he straightened up and folded his arms.

"We've been having some trouble with metal heads. They're attacking the supply vessels traveling through to Haven"

"That's not too serious. Why can't you deal with it?"

"Because I can't stay"

"What?" Zack's eyes widened and he took a step forwards "What about our training?"

"When I first got my powers I had to work out what to do with them myself. To make my own choices. I don't know enough about what you can do, and besides, you've got all the help you'll need". He turned around and started walking out of the hallway "I've contacted Torn, he'll watch out for you"

"But…" Jak raised a hand and silenced Zack's protest

"Go back to Haven, do some digging, that sort of thing. I'm sorry I can't help you"

"Where are you going?"

"I only came back to resupply" Jak turned and smiled "I have to go back to the brink". Zack held out a hand

"Good luck"

"Thanks".


	6. Chapter 6: Metal and sand

Chapter 6: Metal and sand

The three eco enfused teens packed their kit bags and met in the middle of the market. Zack looked at the sun and then back down to the morph gun in his hands. Raven shouldered her bag and craned her neck to see over the crowds

"So what time are we meeting Kleiver?"

"Ten minutes" Zack pointed towards the bulkhead that lead to the outer walls "We'd better get our vehicle sorted" he started to climb the gentle slope that lead to the rusted metal door. At the back of the group Tara nervously eyed up her gun. She rolled it over in her hands. It was black and dully polished. The yellow ammo cartridge Zack had given her jutted out at an odd angle and had caused the barrel to lengthen and the stock to pop out of the back. A thin laser guided the shots but it made the gun look a little strange.

"Is there not another gun I could have?"

"Yes" Raven stopped and pulled a few ammo clips out of her bag. They all varied in colour "These are your basic mods, but once we get to haven we can get the more 'up market' designs" Tara nodded and looked through the different types with an eye more used to picking out less deadly objects.

"That one" she pointed at the curved blue clip. Raven took the gun from her and yanked the yellow cartridge free. The gun compressed and clicked into a much smaller form. She then fitted in the blue catridge. The trigger and grip flipped around so that they were on top of the gun. The barrel lengthened and the laser was re-emitted from the end. Raven proudly held the gun out to Tara, she gingerly took it

"Just out of interest why did you choose the Vulcan?"

"Blue is my favourite colour". Raven smiled and laughed. Zack turned around as the door opened

"Looks like old butterball got here early". Zack jabbed his thumb towards the blond armour clad Kleiver. His large was pressed against the framework of one of the cars as he leaned over to flick an insect off. "It's miracle the suspension can take him" Zack chuckled. Kleiver straightened up and started to walk towards them

"Oh you again. I suppose you're here to take one of my vehicles" His raspy Australian accent grated over Tara's ears. She didn't like this man

"We're here about the metal heads attacking the shipments passing through here" Raven folded her arms. Kleiver retorted by doing the same

"Is that right? Well you'd better start walking"

"We were thinking more along the lines of a four wheeled transport" Raven pointed towards one of the larger vehicles. It was heavily armoured and had a serious looking Gatling gun mounted on the hood. Kleiver shook his head

"Those are for the big boys. You ankle biters couldn't even reach the pedals". Raven smirked

"Be careful fat boy or my foot will reach something very important to you". Kleiver scowled, then smiled menacingly

"You've got guts girlie"

"You too " Raven joked. Kleiver didn't find this so amusing but his mood didn't dampen too much

"Tell ya' what. You can take the sand shark. But don't expect me to fill the tank." And with that he waddled over to another of the vehicles. Zack turned to Raven and gave a small round of applause

"Nicely done" he smiled hopefully "Mind if I drive?"

Zack shifted gears and the little car shook as it climbed a sand dune. The Sand shark was a small yet powerful car with two large thrusters mounted on the back of its re-enforced framework. Although it didn't have a Gatling gun it had the next best thing, twin Vulcans. Raven gripped the frame tightly as they hit another bump. She could swear he was doing it on purpose. Zack whooped and they leapt off of the crest of a large dune and landed with a thud in the sand. She checked her map readout. The convoy of supply trucks was a liitle ahead of them but they should encounter it shortly. Tara pulled her scarf tighter around her mouth and nose. Raven didn't care for such things. The buffeting of the sand was little more than an irritation, after all she'd been shot more times than she could remember. They swerved sharply and Raven gripped the bar above her head tighter

"Watch it!"

"Sorry" Zack called back, he clearly wasn't he was enjoying himself way too much to worry about what was happening. Raven didn't really care how recklessly he was driving. The three of them needed a little fun. The sand whipped up around them. Probably from the convoy. Sure enough after a few seconds the rear lights of the back vehicle appeared in front of them. Zack slammed the gearstick forwards and they darted to one side and began to gain on the lead truck. They reached it and the man in the passenger seat rolled down his window

"Are you the escort?"

"Yes" Tara shouted back. The man nodded and rolled his window back up. They kept pace for a few minutes then began to slow down to meet up with the 2nd of the three vehicles. The sand from the hover units underneath blew hot sand across at them. Raven spat a few times

"I'm gonna climb on top" she shouted down. Zack gave her a thumbs up and pulled in closer. There were thin metal rungs running up the side of the main compartment. She jumped and caught the bottom one. Her legs dangled dangerously underneath the hover units. But she yanked herself up and seized the next rung. She gave Zack a thumbs up and he pulled away to follow the first truck Raven climbed onto the top and got out her gun. She reached into her bag and rooted around for her goggles. She found them and put them over her eyes, that was better; she couldn't shoot anything if she couldn't see. The sand whipped up around them and she pulled the morph gun from the holster on her back. She rammed a yellow cartridge in and it transformed into the blaster. She lifted it up and crouched. There was nothing visible. Nothing was visible, there was too uch sand to see anything. She sighed and brushed her fringe from her face. There a roar echoed through the air behind her. She turned and pointed her gun at the source of the sound. There was nothing to target.

"Guys there's something behind the convoy"

"We'll check it out" came Tara's reply over the com link. Raven stood up and walked over to the rear of the cargo bay. She jumped and landed on the cab of the vehicle behind. Then she noticed the glow. The Sand shark decelerated and vanished into the bulk of the sand. There was silence for a few seconds before the gunshots started sounding off. The desert racer flew back into view. Tara stood in her chair and fired her gun backwards at some unseen enemy. Raven lifted her gun and fired backwards. With a whoosh a metal head thundered across the ground and closed the gap between it and the convoy.

"Shit" raven turned and ran. The beast slammed into the back of the truck and flipped it over. Raven dived and rolled. Luckily landing on the next craft. Blaster enguaged before brain and she turned and fired into the face of the angry metal clad reptile. This seemed to take some effect and it veered off to one side. Raven traced it with the laser sight and emptied a few more clips into it.

"It's heading for the lead truck" Zack yelled into the comms "Keep it busy"

"Keep it busy! It's the size of a house!" Raven groaned and lifter the gun and pointed it at the creature's eye. She fired and it screamed and stumbled. Zack rammed into its heels with the Sand shark and it toppled over. Zack thrust his fist into the air and cheered. Then gripped the wheel and swerved around the body, he corrected himself and rode alongside Raven's truck. He gave her a thumbs up and she nodded back. With a thunderous roar another two metal heads leapt towards the truck. Raven whirled around and fired quickly into their faces and deterred them. But they weren't away for long and charged towards her. She squeezed the trigger _click_. Raven holstered the gun and crouched. The darkness slowly took her over. Her pupils widened and she snarled. Purple bolts of electricity darted out from her chest. She ran a few steps and jumped onto the face of the frontmost creature. Her talloned fingers dug deep into the beat's face and it swerved and slammed into the other metal head. They both snapped at the dark being atop one's back. Raven leaped into the air and with a pulse of energy her body expanded and grew until she was three ties her normal size. Not towering over the two lizards she seized their tails and dung her heels into the sand, slowing their pace. With a burst of flames she vanished and allowed the gigantic creatures to lurch forwards. But her fists materialised in front of them and they were going too fast to stop. Their armour shattered and they both collapsed. Raven back flipped and teleported back on top of the truck. She shrank to normal size and returned to normal.

Zack heard the thud and looked back as the giant demonic girl kicked the crap out of the two monsters. He looked back to the ground ahead

"Remind me not to piss her off"

"I will" Tara nodded and sat back down in her chair. They swerved to avoid a tree and tara checked the map display "There's more of them"

"Oh good and there I was thinking this would be easy" Zack groaned. "Where are they?"

"The other side of the lead truck" Tara pointed. Zack turned his head and sighed "You take them I'll cover you"

"Fine but you're getting the next bunch". Tara sprouted her glowing blue wings and flew into the air. She looped around and took aim with her gun and fired down on the pair of charging monsters. Raven joined the barrage and tried to deter the rampaging metal heads. Zack swerved and dodged between the two remaining vehicles in the convoy. He squeezed the triggers on the wheel and the twin Vulcans blared. The shots shattered the creature's shinbone. It toppled over and Tara landed on the other one and plunged her hand into its face. Its eyes glowed white and it turned to run alongside the trucks. The drivers gaped in awe as the gigantic creature seemed to smile and increased in speed to run ahead of the convoy. It roared loudly and Zack checked the readouts on his GPS. The other metal heads began moving off

"Tara I don't know what you made it say but I'm glad you got that big ol' bastard to say something"

"Just out of interest what did you make it say" Raven straightened up and holstered her rifle

"I made him say 'Everything's fine no worries guys'" Zack and Raven laughed. Zack pulled in next to the truck Raven was standing on. He hit the horn a few times Raven shook her head and fired a shot out in front of the car. Zack yelped and swerved,

"So that's a no to the lift then?"

"That's a no to the lift Zack" Raven smiled and Zack pulled to the front of the convoy to ride alongside the entranced monster".


	7. Chapter 7: Old friends and new enemies

Chapter 7: Old friends and new enemies

Zack patted the cab with his riht hand

"You boys gonna be alright from here"

"Yeah. Thanks for the help"

"No problem" Zack climbed down from the lead truck and the two vehicles drove off. Raven and Tara stared up at the huge walls that surrounded Haven. There was a small access door nearby. Zack walked over and pressed a glowing crystal against it. It hissed open and he turned around "Ladies welcome to Haven".

Raven stared around her as dozens of people ran around performing their daily tasks. Hover cars floated high above them. She smiled

"Looks like my kind of town". Zack smiled

"Soryy your las visit wasn't too fun. Hopefully we can enjoy ourselves a little more this time around" Zack started walking down one of the alleyways towards the waterfront district "We're meeting a contact in a few minutes. You can come with, or you can look around for a bit"

"We'll come with" Raven holstered her gun and Tara did the same. Zack led them through the less savoury parts of the city. Through the alleys and ruins. They reached the renovated waterfront. The silvery buildings were a strong contrast from the dark concreate they were used to. There was a larger building at the end of the street. Tara pointed to it

"What is that?"

"According to Jak it's the new freedom HQ" he turned back to them "Although we'll find out soon" He pressed the crystal onto the door and it opened to reveal a crude metal lift. The three climbed onto it and it shot upwards into the building.

It stopped and Zack cautiously stepped through into a large room. He whistled, clearly impressed. Holo displays and control panels lined the walls. The largest displayed a red diagram of Haven.

"Well well. Look who decided to come back" a tattooed man stepped out from behind the hologram and folded his arms

"Torn" Zack grinned and rushed over. He offered a hand but apparently Torn didn't want to shake. Instead he smirked

"Good to see you again Zack. Jak said you'd be coming" he leaned out and eyed up Tara and Raven "Who are they?"

"Friends. A lot has changed since we last spoke"

"Yeah, whatever" Torn reached into his pocket "heard you needed a place to crash"

"Yeah". Torn pulled his hand free and threw Zack a key

"It's by the docks about 20 minutes away, number's on the key". Zack nodded and smiled. Behind him Raven started walking towards them

"What about us?"

"There are three beds"

"We're sharing a flat?"

"You got a problem?"

"Why don't we get separate accommodation?" Raven demanded. Torn chuckled

"You haven't done anything yet. Sit tight and maybe I'll think about giving you the odd mission". He turned around and went back to his holo-display. Raven folded her arms and was about to answer back when Zack thanked him and grabbed her by the arm

"Hey! What are you…" He pulled her across the room and ignored her protests. Tara watched and frowned. Zack let go once they were back in the lift. He pressed the button and they descended back down to the ground floor. Raven booted him in the shin, he yelped and scowled

"What?"

"You know what. What the hell was that about?"

"You were making a scene"

"I ALWAYS make a scene. What makes it different when that tattooed arse is the target"

"That arse is the guy who's got all the connections and can pull the strings we need to find this dark cult. Do you want payback or not?" Zack held out his arms expectantly "Well?"

"There are other ways"

"Look we go way back. He's like family"

"Family?" Raven scoffed

"You don't know the half of it so just leave it"

"Leave what?" She laughed "You were the one that brought it up". Zack clenched his fist around the keys. The lift doors opened with a clang

"Look let's just head to the house and get some rest" He started walking. Raven watched him for a few moments and tried to calm down. She managed it and jogged after him.

Zack slotted the key into the lock and turned it. With a click the latch undid and they walked into their new home. Raven gasped

"It's shit" she grimaced. The inside of the house was grey and worn, bits of plaster had fallen from the ceiling. On further inspection they found out that the other rooms were less impressive. Peeling paint and the occasional patch of damp did not improve their moods. Tara was the only one that seemed to be making the best of the situation. She cheerily walked between the rooms commenting on how a lick of paint here and there and some curtains would make it all seem better. Raven put her face in her palm

"This is a shit hole"

"Agreed" Zack grimaced at the sofa growing life in the corner

"Bet you wished I had complained now". Tara walked over beaming

"I love it", the other two resisted the urge to laugh at this and instead walked through to the bedroom. There was a solitary bunk-bed. Zack's face dropped, he knew what was coming

"Me and Tara will take the beds you can have the sofa". And there it was. Zack opened his mouth to protest "don't even try it, you stopped me from complaining you can deal with the consequences" she smiled sweetly and shut the door on him. He smiled, would he ever win an argument?

XXX

The streets became dark and life vanished from them. The only movement was from a large silhouette. Its long arms and huge club like fists dragged along the floor by its bare ankles. Its eyes shone black. It had stooped shoulders covered in scars and the spinal column was visible. It closed in on the apartment.

Zack climbed to his feet from his less than comfortable spot on the floor and stumbled towards the toilet. Clad in only a t shirt and loose fitting boxers he attempted to navigate the unsanitary bathroom floor to the seat less loo in the corner. Once finished he turned on the taps to wash his hands. Brown sludge dripped down, slowly. He checked if it was raining outside. Luckily it had justs started. He opened the latch on the window and held his hands out to get soaked by the droplets. There was a large figure in the street below. Zack squinted to try and make out the face. He blinked a few times and the figure was gone. He shrugged and turned to return to the living room. A large claw clad hand grabbed his chest.

The door to Raven and Tara's room splintered as Zack flew straight through it. The girls sat bolt upright. Zack climbed to his feet and put a hand on the wall to keep his balance

"Cheating bastard" he wheezed. Tara climbed out of bed

"What is it?" a hideous mottled face appeared in the doorway. Black pupil-less eyes fixed on her "oh". Zack stooped and picked up a plank. He charged forwards and slammed it into the creature's face and it withdrew. He hurled the wood after it and transformed into his dark angel form. His talon like blades burst from his wrist and he leapt after his gigantic foe. Raven shifted and purple electricity sparked from her fingertips.

The huge Dark beast snarled as Zack grappled with it, he forced it onto the ground. It thrashed and struck him across the back of the head and he let go. Raven flipped over its head and landed on its disfigured spinal column. Her claws were rammed in deep and it roared. Zack caught it under the chin with an uppercut and it stumbled backwards and tripped over the sofa. Tara appeared in the doorway and splayed her fingers. The creature became engulfed in a blue energy field, slowing it down to an almost standstill. Raven Leapt onto the exposed chest and tore at it with her claws. Slowly the beast sped up and punched her off. Tara snapped her fingers in desperation

"I'm out!" she shouted. The beast made a dive for her. Zack intercepted with a brutal right hook sending the creature careening into the wall and smashing a portion of the brickwork. It got to its feet and roared at him and charged. The two large foes punched and kicked for a few brutal moments before breaking apart. Zack licked blood from his lip and the cut began regenerating. The dark creature was breathing heavily and circled him. Raven lunged forwards and pressed her palms on the beast's back. With a ripple of dark energy it was thrown forwards and smashed through the wall and fell downwards into the street below. It whimpered and darted into the shadows. Zack stood at the edge of the gaping hole and powered down. Raven crouched and put her index finger into a pool of the shimmering purple blood

"They know we're here" she breathed

"I know" Zack nodded "They won't try anything for a while, you get some rest. I'll keep watch".


End file.
